A Visual Feast

Slide 1 Of A Visual Feast

What term best describes a hostess who lights her terrace with antique Venetian chandeliers and $10 fixtures she's spray-painted hot pink? Insouciant? Daring? Inspired? With Seattle's exuberant foodie Heather Christothoulou, you get all that and more.

When the weather turns balmy, the Christothoulou get-togethers move from inside their home--perched on a hillside overlooking Seattle's skyline--out to the expansive multi-tiered terrace spanning the rear of the house.

Perennial, rose, and herb gardens, 10 different fruit trees, and several varieties of wisteria and honeysuckle perfume the setting. An old stone fountain plays merrily in the background. It's a relaxed, easygoing backdrop for the eye-popping spring luncheon Heather has planned for close friends.

Heather inherited her eye for colorful style from her mother. "I'd come home from school, and the living room would be repainted raspberry," she says. Helping Mom as sous chef and table-setter put Heather on course to a fine arts degree from the University of Washington, a culinary degree from Le Cordon Bleu in San Francisco, and careers as a pastry chef and caterer (with a reputation for cooking in cocktail dresses and heels). These days, the mother of 2-year-old Pia and 5-month-old Colette focuses her prodigious energies on entertaining at home.

To create her lushly layered table settings, Heather often finds her starting point in one simple object. For this fete, it was a collection of pink glassware. "Then I started to look for intensity. There's strength in going to the opposite side of the color wheel. That's when I found the green plates," she explains. "Vibrant color equals happiness and excitement."

In came plump green figs from the garden, out came a mouthwatering watermelon-colored table runner, and up went those hot-pink chandeliers. Raspberries filled silver bowls, and porcelain ginger jars borrowed from the living room anchored the table. "I think if people shopped in their own houses, they'd be surprised by what they find," Heather says. "Also, walking through the garden for flowers and produce can dictate the colors I use."

Heather begins to set her table two or three days before a party, giving her time to add and take away items. Her fine arts background takes over--saturated colors, contrasting textures, and unexpected table props refine the opulent look. The do-ahead scheme is part of her approach to entertaining.

"One important skill I took away from catering was organization," she says. "Whatever you can do ahead, do. I'm a fan of having as little as possible to finish after guests arrive. There's nothing worse than being caught in your apron. Give yourself time to get ready so you look composed. People sense the relaxed energy in the kitchen and the food."

Heather prefers a long, leisurely meal, so her menu usually consists of multiple courses that balance sweet, savory, and acidic flavors within each course. She emphasizes seasonal and local ingredients, and shops small purveyors. "Seattle is getting better and better at people specializing in one great thing."

While guests gather, she serves up the Pink Drink, a sophisticated blend of ruby-red grapefruit and pomegranate juices and vodka; its frosty color is inspired by the table setting. Heather passes around the vintage pink-hued glasses, and for just a moment, you can imagine her as the glamorous fashion editor in the Audrey Hepburn film Funny Face intoning, "Red is dead, blue is through, green's obscene, brown's taboo! Think pink!"

The first course is Cauliflower Soup. Just-picked chervil garnishes the ethereal pure-white soup, its delicate licorice-parsley taste a lovely foil to the humble cauliflower and onion.

Pan-seared branzino (Mediterranean sea bass) topped with artichoke hearts and morel mushrooms follows. "Spring means fresh, subtle, and light," Heather says. "The flaky texture and crispy skin of the branzino, the astringency of the artichokes, and the assertiveness of the morels are a wonderful, instinctual balance of flavor. Every element speaks to the season."

The afternoon slips away. The Pink Drink is having a mellowing effect. The terrace view is commanding, the conversation settles. Heather wraps up a take-home gift, something homemade such as fig chutney or sablé cookies. You can't wait to come back, knowing that the next time will be equally delightful and totally unexpected.

Photography: John Granen and Peter KrumhardtProduced by Linda Humphrey

In large saucepan, cook onion in hot oil over medium to medium-low heat 10 to 12 minutes or until tender but not brown. Add cauliflower, broth, and water. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, about 20 minutes, or until vegetables are very soft and tender. Cool slightly.

Using immersion blender, puree vegetables until very smooth. (Or place cauliflower mixture, one third at a time, in food processor or blender. Cover and process until smooth. Return mixture to saucepan.)

Stir in whipping cream. Cook and stir until heated through. Season soup to taste with kosher salt. Top each serving with fresh chervil. Makes 8 (about 3/4 cup) servings.

Make Ahead:
Cover and chill soup up to 3 days. Reheat in large saucepan over medium-low heat 10 to 15 minutes or until heated through.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Scrub beets and trim off stem and root ends. Peel and cut each beet into 6 wedges. Place beets and garlic cloves in 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Drizzle with olive oil and toss lightly to coat.

Cover pan with foil; roast 30 minutes. Uncover and continue roasting 20 to 30 minutes more or until beets are tender.

When garlic cloves are cool enough to handle, remove from roasting pan and peel. Place cloves on cutting board, and sprinkle with small amount of kosher salt. Using flat side of a knife, smash cloves into paste. Add to olive oil in roasting pan. Toss beets and garlic in oil to coat.

In same skillet, add remaining oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Heat over medium-high heat until butter is melted. Gently place half the fillets, skin side down, in hot skillet. Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until skin is crisp. Turn fillets; cook 2 to 3 minutes more or until fish just flakes when tested with fork. Set aside; cover fish to keep warm. Add 1 tablespoon additional butter to skillet; cook remaining fillets as above.

In very large mixing bowl, beat butter, sugar, and lemon peel on medium speed until light and fluffy, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in lemon juice and lemon extract. (Mixture may look curdled.)

In another large bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Fold in poppy seeds.

Divide cake batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans; cool completely. When cakes are cool, trim tops of cakes if necessary to make them flat. Split cakes in half horizontally to create four cake rounds.

To assemble, place one cake round on cake plate. Spread with 1 scant cup Lemon Curd. Top curd with another cake round and another scant cup of curd. Repeat with third cake round and the remaining curd. Top curd with last cake round.

Frost top and sides of cake with Coconut Buttercream Frosting. Sprinkle toasted coconut on top of cake and press into sides of cake. Serve immediately with fresh strawberries, or store cake in refrigerator. Let chilled cake stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving. Makes 12 to 16 servings,